Anyone have experience with any .22lr uppers.

 

I got one from Spikes Tactical back when they offered them... back in 2008 time frame.

It was a regular upper, just pinned a muzzle brake on. Got a Lothar Walther match barrel, and a railed front sight base (no lug with that option). Other than those two things, it was identical to non-compliant uppers.

CMMG offers .22 uppers... but likely going to have to have something pinned. Order one you like (just make sure the barrel is 16”, and no bayonet lug if you don’t want extra work to grind it off), get a muzzle brake that you like (or get one with the thread protector), and have a gunsmith pin it.

I had the spikes also, they called it the ST-22, but IIRC it didn't have anything beyond the conversion bolt that any AR-15 upper could use. That conversion bolt won't lock open on an empty magazine so I sold it and got an M&P 15-22. 

ETA: also that CCI AR ammo I was using left a lot of crud in the pinned brake, and thats supposed to be decent stuff. Its nice not having a brake on the "compliant" 15-22 model.

I had the spikes also, they called it the ST-22, but IIRC it didn't have anything beyond the conversion bolt that any AR-15 upper could use. That conversion bolt won't lock open on an empty magazine so I sold it and got an M&P 15-22.

Most kits/uppers for use in the AR use an Atchinson designed bolt... to include Spikes, Ciener, and even CMMG (they did do a lot of advancements).

Bolt locking back with those systems tend to be related to an extended follower in the magazine (BDM magazines), which lets the bolt home when the magazine is pulled. CMMG did offer a BHOA, which used their followers, and was supposed to get it working like a traditional AR. Problem was the followers were too finicky (two piece, which slide back/forth to engage the BHOA), and the line was dropped.

I actual have the BHOA (followers never worked in my 15 rounders), which I modified. There was a tab that would engage the follower, which I removed. All it allows is after the BDM follower stops the bolt, I can pull back and manually lock it back with the bolt release. Remove the magazine, it stays locked back. Reload, hit the bolt release, and you are back in business.

My .22 upper now uses the CMMG bolt assembly, which I put in the Spikes collar (sold the Spikes kit and CMMG chamber adapter as a conversion... which it did create). The CMMG bolt is definitely the way to go, if you are sticking with an actual AR design. With the nature of .22 LR, having the forward assist is a big benefit. The only upgrade I will be doing to mine is an Auto Sear Trip kit... which will be helpful in an AR build that is sitting at my godmother’s in PA (Fostech Echo II trigger [emoji106]).

The M&P 15-22 is a good rifle, but it is definitely not based off the original AR design, which the Atchinson design was made to work with. It is along the lines of the GSG-5 in relation to the MP5... made to mimic it, but far from it.